We are studying the Pesukim
of Perek Shira and we are now on the song of the rivers (Tehilim
98.8)
נַהֲרוֹת אוֹמְרִים. נְהָרוֹת יִמְחֲאוּ כָף יַחַד הָרִים
יְרַנֵּנוּ (תהילים צח ח)
The rivers clap hands, together mountains rejoice.
What is the message of this pasuk? Clapping
symbolizes happiness. Why are rivers happy?
Many explain based on the following theme, including Rav Chaim
Kanievsky in his commentary to Perek Shira called Taama Dekra. He cites a Gemara in Mesechet Cholin,
where it says that Rav Pinchas ben Yair was on his way to do Pidyon Shvuim/
redeem someone in captivity and needed to cross the river Gana'i, so he
told the river to stop because he needed to cross. The river said, I am
going to do the will of my Creator, and I know that I am going to be
successful. I know what I am doing, but you don't know if you're going be successful." We see from this that the flowing of the river
symbolizes the constant fulfillment of the will of the Creator. Rivers don't
stop. Rivers just keep on going. They come from the source and they go, and
they come from the source and they go. That is the simcha of
somebody who is serving his Creator consistently. That's
the message of the river.
While researching this pasuk, I noticed that the word har/ mountain
is the root of the word nahar/river, because the river gets its
waters from the melting of the snow on the mountains. So, the river is constantly connected to its source, and that's why
it keeps coming. The Source, in this case could be God. And the river is
constantly connected to its Source and constantly flowing.
Rav David Falk writes in one of his sefarim that he once approached
Rav Chaim to add a point to this concept, based on a Gemara in Horayot 12A, where it says
that Rav Masharshiya, one of the Amoraim, told his son, When you
learn, learn by a river, because that way your learning will continue and flow,
just like the river flows. We see
from here that the river symbolizes consistency, and it can arouse you
to learn consistently as well. Rav Chaim Kanievsky agreed to this explanation. So,
another message of the song of the river is that of consistency. And with
consistency comes happiness. But consistency
is not enough. In the sefer Yismach Yehuda, Yehuda Jacobowitz
writes that in order to be consistent, you can't be affected or moved by
obstacles. There are things that get in your way and interfere. But a person has the ability to, so to say, ignore the obstacles, and
that's what the song of the river symbolizes.
Furthermore, in Mishnat
Rav Aharon (vol 1, page 200), Rav Aaron Kotler quotes the pesukim in
Tehilim,
וּֽלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵ֥ב שִׂמְחָֽה׃ (97,11)
To those that are straight
of heart there is happiness
And
׃ פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י יְהֹוָ֣ה יְ֭שָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי־לֵ֑ב The commands of
Hashem are straight (Tehilim 19,9)
He adds that part of being consistent is not making extra cheshbonot
and all kinds of calculations and trying
to figure things out. As the pasuk in Kohelet 7,29 says,
אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה
הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָדָ֖ם יָשָׁ֑ר
God made man straight. וְהֵ֥מָּה בִקְשׁ֖וּ חִשְּׁבֹנ֥וֹת רַבִּֽים׃And they're
looking for all kind of cheshbonot,
They're trying all kinds of shenanigans and tactics But
there's a trait of Yashrut/straightness.
The river just goes straight. Yashrut is straight, with no
nonsense. I do what I have to do. I
don't get caught up in things that I don't have to do. As we say, Tamim
Tihyeh/I'm complete. I'm simple with Hashem. I just keep doing my
thing. That brings simcha.
I remember during the Gulf War that most people were busy talking
about the war, how to react, and all the things that go along with that. But one
day Rav
Wolbe came in and just gave a regular class on speaking the truth or some
other topic. He explained that he noticed one day that there were workers out paving
the roads. He asked himself, They're paving the roads? We're in the middle
of a war! Why are they paving the road? Then he said, because government
workers have their jobs and despite whatever is going on, 'I gotta pave my road.'
He said, it's the same with Avodat Hashem.
Yes, there are sometimes bumps in the road and sometimes there are
interferences, but you have to stick to your job. You gotta pave the road. That's the message of
the river? The river is Yashar. It's straight, it's consistent, and
therefore it's constantly clapping.
